The Challenge: Building a full-authority, FPGA-based engine control system for a high-performance motorcycle engine. The Solution: Using National Instruments CompactRIO and LabVIEW environment to focus directly on engine control software and I/O board development. Drivven, an automotive control and data acquisition solutions provider, needed reliable, high-performance hardware to prototype an engine control system for a 2004 Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycle. Engine control requires deterministic loop times on the order of milliseconds and precise fuel and spark timing on the order of microseconds. In addition, the target engine revs to 15,500 RPM. At this speed, there is less than 4 ms per crankshaft rotation, and the system must precisely control fuel and spark events in the angle domain to less than 1 degree. For this project, Drivven chose a four-slot NI CompactRIO embedded system because of its flexibility, small size, and rugged form factor. With this system, they could easily add sensors and actuators while quickly and easily visualizing the data. In addition, they could mount the controller in the extremely limited space available in a super-sport motorcycle.
Have a story suggestion? Want to be featured on Engineering TV?
Send us a tip at: EngineeringTV@Penton.com!